Oil well pump valve



Oct. 16, 1951 G. M. STEWART OIL WELL PUMP VALVE Filed May 25, 1949 INVENTOR. GRAFTON M. STEWART FIG. 2.

ATTORNEY FIG. I.

Patented Oct. 16,, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT? OFFICE 2,571,497 on. WELL rUMr VALVE Grafton M. Stewart, Stamford, Conn. Application May 25, 1949, Serial No. 95,196

1 Claim. 1

The invention here disclosed relates to the construction of valves such as used in oil well p mps.

Special objects of the invention are to provide a valve construction which will maintain its effectiveness over long continued pumping operathe purposes of the invention'are accomplished,

are set forth and will appear in the course of the following specification.

The drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification illustrates a present commercial embodiment of the invention. Structure, however, may be modified and changed as regards the immediate illustration, all within the true intent and broad scope of the invention as hereinafter defined and claimed.

Fig. 1 in the drawing is a front elevation of the new valve construction, partly broken away and showing the drop at the top of its stroke in the valve cage; I

Fig. 2 is a substantially central vertical sectional view of the same showing the drop seated and sealed at the bottom of its stroke in the valve cage;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the valve cage;

Figs. 4 and 5 are horizontal sectional views as on substantially the plane and in the direction of the arrows of line 4-4, 5-5, Fig. 1.

The valve in Figs. 1 and 2 is shown as the upper or traveling valve but, as will appear, the invention may be incorporated, as well, in the lower or standing valve and in other special valve constructions.

The important features of the invention are the construction of the drop with an upper, piston element 1, a lower, conical valve element 8 and an intermediate, compressible, expansible valve disc 9 and the provision of the cage Ill with a composite valve seat member I I having a conical valve seat l2 at the bottom for the conical valve element 8, and above that an annular cylindrical valve seat I3 for the sealing disc 9.

The valve discs 8 and 9 are shown loosely held to the piston l by a stud M which may be formed 2 integrally with the piston and which is shown as riveted or headd'over at the lower end at I 5 to loosely secure the parts together.

The upper, piston member 1 is shown as cylindrical in form to guide smoothly and easily in the cage and is heavy enough to give the drop a desirable weight.

' All three elements of the drop, that is, the pis-a ton 1, compressible-expansible sealing disc 9 and conical valve disc 8, are of a size to slide freely and easily in the valve cage. The sealing disc is of an elastic material such as a synthetic rubber or plastic which is uninjured by oil or other products being pumped, and while small enough in normal, uncompressed state to slide freely in the cage, it is expansible under the weight of the piston and the hydrostatic head thereon sufliciently to make sealing engagement with the surrounding annular valve wall l3 when the lower valve element 8 is on valve seat H.

The valve cage is shown as having long, wide ports I 8 in the sides of the same, providing maximum, unimpeded flow through the valve.

The combination conical and cylindrical valve seat ring II is shown secured up against a stop shoulder I! in the lower end of the valve cage by a screw member l8 which may be the upper end of the next pull-rod connection, coupling or other member ordinarily screwed into the bottom of such valve cage.

' Because of the expansible, self-adjusting char acter of the sealing disc, the annular valve seat It needs only to be machine finished by ordinary methods. The conical valve seat l2 will be kept clean by normal flow of the pumping liquid. Further to assure good sealing engagement of the metallic valve element 8 with this seat, the drop may have rotary motion imparted thereto by forming the lower portion of the conical valve element 8 with flutes l9 inclined to enable the liquid to impart twisting moment to this element and the drop upon movement of the drop in opposite directions. These rotary impulsescause the valve to apply a scouring- The operating parts are few in number and of simple, rugged and low cost construction.

What is claimed is:

A valve for oil well pumps comprising a vertically extended valve cage having a conical valve seat at the bottom of the same and a cylindrical Qvall extending upwardly from said conical valve seat, a drop confined in said valve cage and freely slidable vertically in said cylindrical wall portion of the cage, said drop comprising an upper cylindrical piston element, a lower conical valve member, an expansible valve disc between said piston element and valve member, said piston element, valve member and expansible valve disc being all of substantially the same peripheral dimensions, enabling said valve drop to be guided and to slide freely in said cylindrical portion of the valve cage and a stud carried by said upper piston element, projecting loosely down through said expansible valve disc and said conical valve member and having a confining head spaced below said valve member and loosely con- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 936,233 Black Oct. 5, 1909 1,301,278 Labus Apr. 22, 1919 1,659,498 Ruthven Feb. 14, 1928 1,681,169 Brandt Apr. 21, 1928 1,686,849 Frauenheim Oct. 9, 1928 1,710,635 Wertz Apr. 23, 1929 1,725,297 Paterson Aug. 20, 1929 2,077,716 Sandlin Apr. 20, 1937 

